Performance Work Statement - Child Health Site Visites and Consultation Services.pdf

Performance Work Statement

Child Health Site Visits and Consultation Services

I. Introduction The mission of the Indian Health Service (IHS) is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) to the highest level. The IHS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides Federal health services to AI/AN. The provision of health services to members of Federally-recognized Tribes grew out of the special government-to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes. The IHS is the principal Federal health care provider and health advocate for Indian people, and its mission is to raise their health status to the highest possible level. The IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million AI/AN members of 573 Federally recognized Tribes in 37 states.

The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, Division of Clinical and Community Services, is the principal healthcare provider and health advocate for AI/AN children. Over 550,000 AI/AN children are served at federal and tribal hospitals and clinics, including urban Indian programs in 34 metropolitan centers. Health care disparities for infants, children, and youth have been well documented, including many infectious diseases, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), child abuse, early childhood caries, childhood obesity, mental health issues, adverse childhood experiences (ACE), and unintentional injuries. Community programming, including Women Infant Child nutrition, Childcare centers, and Head Start, provide needed resources for early childhood intervention supporting parenting and young families. Youth residential treatment facilities at 12 sites and off-reservation and boarding schools represent the complexity of services and needs of AI/AN children and youth and their health care. The IHS has contracted for site visit consultation for 40 years to tribal, urban Indian programs, boarding schools, and school clinics for service units at each of the twelve IHS Areas.

Healthcare disparities for infants, children, and youth have been well documented, including early childhood caries, childhood obesity, mental health issues, and injuries. The purpose of this contract is for the contractor to provide continuing support for consultation, education, and promotion of child health activities on behalf of the IHS and Indian children. The Contractor shall conduct IHS Area and local site visits, continuing education sessions, and provide assessment and analysis to improve pediatric outcomes.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service

Indian Health Service Rockville MD 20857

II. Purpose

The purpose of this contract is for the contractor to provide continuing support for consultation, education, and promotion of prenatal, newborn, and child health activities on behalf of the IHS and American Indian/Alaska Native families. The contractor shall conduct IHS Area and local site visits to promote the development of programs that support healthy lifestyles and optimal physical, mental, and social health during pregnancy and for newborns and children. The contractor will identify challenges and provide innovative strategies for improvement; to provide continuing education sessions for providers, to provide technical assistance and consultation to the Area liaison contacts; and to prepare and submit semi-annual reports.

III. Scope and Requirements:

3.1 Pediatric Consultation Site Visits, Follow Up and Reports The contractor shall conduct health consultation visits within an Area chosen by the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics based on Area and Tribal consultation. Two to four sites shall be selected for visits during the Option Periods, depending on the depth of the consultation to be provided. Representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Native American Child Health (CONACH) shall be included in the site visit teams. In addition, maternal health, child health, oral health, and behavioral health experts will be included as applicable.

Based on the findings at the site visit, one site may be selected for a follow-up visit later in the contract year. This visit would involve a smaller team, selected based on expertise in the area of need. The visit would focus on an individual issue and engage representatives from Tribal governments, health personnel, IHS headquarters or Area Office, and other community groups. If applicable, a CME opportunity will be provided based on the specific need identified, and a list of actionable goals will be developed and shared with participants and IHS leadership

The contractor shall provide itineraries, agendas, briefing materials, and leave-behind materials as appropriate to the Area and individual sites. Pre-visit discussions and inventories shall be conducted to ascertain the best local issues and problems to engage.

The contractor shall provide written reports of the site visits, a summary report, and recommendations, which the responsive teams shall provide with a timely turnaround (8- 10 weeks). The consultation reports shall be sent in the requested format to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), HQ Office of the Director, Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, Division of Clinical and Community Service, and Health Director of sites visited. IHS Area visited, IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics, and other key individuals as identified by the IHS. If a tribal site that has compacted or contracted under PL-638 is selected for consultation, report distribution shall be discussed with tribal leadership before dissemination.

The contractor shall maintain ongoing liaison relationships with the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics, HQ, and Area Maternal and Child Health (MCH) consultants and lead clinicians in charge of child health services and programs at the sites visited.

3.2 Continuing Medical Education (CME)

(a) The contractor shall provide CME presentations that address issues identified during the site consultation visits (described in 3.1) to child health professionals providing care to American Indian/Alaska Native infants, children, and youth. The contractor/committee shall coordinate with Service Units to link CME’s with the IHS Clinical Support Center Continuing Education Program located in Phoenix Area IHS.

The contractor shall provide evidence of submitting education proposal(s) regarding Native American child health issues to the contractor/committee on scientific meetings for presentations at National meetings.

(b) The contractor shall plan educational opportunities in collaboration with a committee including, as appropriate, the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics, the IHS Chief Medical Officer, and other consultants and/or representatives of the contractor. The planning is to include consideration of the prior courses and, at the discretion of the Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics, is to result in the following:

a. Development of the anticipated course structure, program outline, and curriculum

b. Preliminary faculty identification

c. Assignment to the respective faculty of anticipated modifications to the course content and materials

d. Planning for and collaborating in the promotion of the course

e. Conduct course evaluation

The contractor shall develop and distribute the course brochure, which advertises the course and includes registration and tuition/tuition waiver information, to course participants alone or in collaboration with other educational entities as noted. The contractor shall register all course participants.

3.3 Technical Assistance

Based on needs identified from the Pediatric Consultation Site Visits, the contractor shall provide technical assistance to IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian sites if applicable.

Examples of potential areas of assistance include integrating maternal and child health, oral health, and medical care. If technical assistance is advised by CONACH and accepted by the Service Unit, the contractor shall follow through with their recommendations regarding technical assistance as developed in the Site Visit written reports. This shall be emphasized in the Area Liaison Reports, which are recorded as part of the minutes of CONACH meetings.

3.4 Clinical Reports, Policy Statements AI/AN Child Health Advocacy

The contractor shall use its position to advocate for the health of Native American Children whenever possible. Examples of this advocacy can include policy statements, publication of best practices, and publicizing of successful strategies being used in Native American child health programs so that they may be adapted for use in other sites.

3.5 International Pediatrics Biennial Conference

The contractor, in collaboration with an ad hoc planning committee composed of members from the Canadian Pediatric Society and other representatives’ Native organizations, shall plan and conduct a pediatric conference to be held every other year of the contract. This conference will attract participants and presenters from North America and other indigenous populations. It aims to share best and promising practices that impact clinical care rendered to AI/AN infants, children, youth, and their indigenous communities. Conference calls and face-to-face planning meetings during the planning phase shall be managed by the Committee on Native American Child Health (CONACH) and the Canadian Pediatric Society’s First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Committee as the lead planners. It is expected that the contractor shall seek additional funding to support this meeting and that this contract shall provide only part of the support. IHS is committed to building partnerships with healthcare delivery systems for Indigenous people across North America and internationally.

3.6 Pediatric Best Practices

Each year, the contractor shall provide evidence-based recommendations for one or more “best practices” to improve the health and health care of American Indian/Alaska Native children. The focus of the recommendation will be selected based on the findings of site visits during the current contract year or past contract years, and whenever possible, these recommendations will be provided directly to the service units visited.

IV. Period of Performance One (1) 12-month Base Period and four (4) 12-month Option Periods.

V. Contract Type A firm fixed price contract is anticipated.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total Months: 12 Base Year

Months: Months: Months: Months: Months:

Options Quantity/Time Period Base Year September 12, 2025 through September

11, 2026 Option Period I:

September 12, 2026 through September 11, 2027

Option Period II September 12, 2027 through September 11, 2028

Option Period III September 12, 2028 through September 11, 2029

Option Period IV September 12, 2029 through September 11, 2030

VI. Contracting Personnel, Disciplines, and Specialties The contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by utilizing qualified personnel with appropriate combinations of education, training, and experience. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce towards this contract are essential.

VII. Data Rights The government has unlimited rights to all the documents and materials produced under this contract. All documents and materials collected or produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor.

VIII. Project Officer A certified IHS Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will be identified prior to contract execution. The COR, as a duly authorized representative of the Contracting Officer, shall assume the responsibilities for monitoring the Contractor's performance, evaluating the quality of services provided by the Contractor, and performing final inspection and acceptance of all deliverables and services called for by the contract.

IX. Deliverable Schedule All deliverables this contract requires shall be delivered to the COR in the requested format. All deliverables shall be subject to the COR’s review and approval. All reports and deliverables are due June 15 of each contract year. The COR shall notify the Contractor of acceptance or rejection in writing (copy to the Contracting Officer) within (10) business days of receipt of the deliverable. The contractor shall prepare and submit the following reports to the COR:

4.1 Site Visit Reports

Reports of the IHS Area Child health consultation visit include: individual site reviews and recommendations. A copy of the report shall be submitted to the COR, IHS Office of the Director, Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, Office of Clinical and Community Services, (OCPS), Division of Clinical & Community Service (DCCS), and the Director of the IHS Area where the site visits were made, the Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics.

4.2 Annual Reports

Written annual reports of the contacts made by the Contractor consulting physicians or other subject matter experts with the Area IHS MCH consultants and pediatrics shall be submitted to the COR, and the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics, and the Maternal and Child Health Consultants.

4.3 Other Documentation

Reports or documents which provide evidence of completion of all other activities in the Performance Work Statement shall be supplied separately to the COR, IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Pediatrics and the Maternal and Child Health Consultant.

4.4 Collaborative Meetings

Arrange meetings between the IHS Director, the IHS Pediatrics Chief Clinical Consultant, other key IHS Headquarters staff and selected Committee members to discuss items of particular importance with respect to the health of AI/AN children and their families as needed. These meetings can be conducted in person or virtually depending on the circumstances.

X. Performance Based Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

The contractor shall provide services in such a manner as to meet the highest standards of professional ethics and conduct, particularly in regard to confidentiality and patient rights, including standards to protect the privacy of individually identifiable health information and to maintain strong protections as defined in Privacy Rule’s provisions (such as during Electronic Health Record access and in compliance with the Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act).

If at any time during the term of this contract, the Government suspects unprofessional behavior, the contractor will be contacted and requested to take action.

EVALUATION DELIVERABLES AND TIME TABLE

Item Description Qty Delivery

4.1 Children’s Health Consultation, Site Visits, Follow-up, & Reports

4.1.1a Post award conference 1 Within 10 business days of the date of contract award *For the Base Period:

within 10 business days of Task award date.

4.1.1b Consultation and Site Visits 2-4

Within 10 months of the date of contract award

3.2.1a Continuing Medical Education

(CME)

1 Within 10 months of the date of contract award

3.4.1a Advocacy 1 Within 10 months of the date of contract award

4.1.1c Final Report (*See note 1) 1 June 15

3.2.1b Educational Opportunities in Children’s Health

3.2.1b Course Planning 1 Within 3 months of date of contract award. *For the Base Period:

within 3 months of Task award 3.2.1b Register Participants/Arrange for

Scholarships As required Within 10months of the date of contract award.

3.2.1b Course Curriculum 1 Within 10 months of the date of award

3.2.lb Develop and distribute Course Materials

As required

Within 10 months of the date of contract award.

3.2.1b Develop Course and Materials 1 Within 10 months of the date of contract award.

3.2.1b Provide and Orient Course Faculty 5 Within 10 months of the date of contract award.

3.2.1b Conduct Educational Opportunities 1 Within 10 months of the date of contract award.

3.2.1b Course Evaluation 1 Within 10 months of the completion of the course

3.2.1b Final Report (*See note 1) 1 June 15

4.4.1a Collaborative Meetings with IHS (post-site visit)

Within 10 months of the date of contract award.